CLEVELAND —Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has said the team will remain trade market buyers despite — or maybe in spite of — Masahiro Tanaka's elbow injury that will sideline him for at least six weeks and, worst-case, need Tommy John surgery.

"We'll continue to look at any options to upgrade ourselves," he said, "and I'll certainly present that to ownership. And until I'm told otherwise I'll continue the course of action."

That second sentence could be key. If the Yankees go into a tailspin — a real possibility — Hal Steinbrenner could order Cashman to reverse course and look toward 2015.

And that could mean a Yankees fire sale for the first time in who knows how long.

If that happened, here are the players who might attract the most attention.